Government is pushing ahead with plans to introduce compulsory Home Information Packs (HIPs) in January 2007, despite the Lords voting on Tuesday to make them voluntary. A further Commons debate on the proposal, which is contained in the Housing Bill, is due to take place next week. Housing minister Keith Hill defended the government’s stance: "Home Information Packs are a key to a range of government initiatives aimed at improving the efficiency of the housing market. The fact is the markets work most efficiently when all parties are well informed and that is exactly what the packs will deliver for homebuyers and sellers," said planning and housing minister Keith Hill. “Voluntary packs will simply not work. The industry, especially the lenders, knows this and has made it clear it cannot invest in, or prepare staffing commitments and technology applications for a process where there is no certainty of universal use of Home Information Packs." "Worse still the Lord's vote has scuppered the regulation of estate agents, for which there was widespread support, particularly from the estate agents themselves. The consumer deserves more than being left in a homebuying-selling system that does not operate effectively or offer any form of redress." …